Don't have an account?

Favorite Schools

Favorite Teams

John 'Jack' McQuaid, who served Ware as police officer, town official, dies at 87

012811 john mcquaid.JPG

01.28.2011 | WARE -- John E. McQuaid holds framed photos showing himself (top), his son Francis (bottom left) and his father John L. McQuaid, who all were Ware police officers.
(Don Treeger, The Republican)

John E. “Jack” McQuaid, known for a booming voice, quietly sincere acts of charity in helping the less fortunate and his constant commitment to community and country, died on Dec. 28 at 87. He served Ware as a police officer and selectman and on other town boards, and was an active communicant of All Saints Church.

“Jack loved his community, loved his country and loved the veterans. He was just an all-around great guy who wanted to help out where he could,” said Greg Harder, chairman of the Board of Selectmen.

“He was always a straight shooter,” state Sen. Stephen M. Brewer, D-Barre, in a telephone interview on Thursday. “When I heard that he died, I wept. I have met a lot of really special people; he is at the top the list. He inspired people.”

Brewer will deliver a eulogy at McQuaid's funeral Mass, scheduled at All Saints Church on Jan. 12 at 10 a.m.

McQuaid served in the U.S. Army during World War II from 1943 to 1946, earning the rank of corporal. McQuaid was part of the dangerous and massive Normandy D-Day landing.

A goal of the June 1944 mission – code-named “Omaha Beach” – was to liberate France from German occupation. The first step, and most deadly, was establishing a beach head.

McQuaid landed on the French coast three days into the daring military adventure with his compatriots from the 29th Infantry Division that was commanded by Major General Charles H. Gerhardt. The campaign was led by then-general and future president Dwight D. Eisenhower.

“I often wonder what those eyes saw in war,” Brewer said.

Besides serving the nation, McQuaid was a family man, a police officer and town official.

Two years after his honorable discharge at Ft. Devens, he married Olive Van Wart on Oct. 30, 1948, at All Saints Church. They religiously attended Mass together the past 64 years.

The McQuaids raised three sons – John McQuaid, who married Bambi Witt, and have three children, Katie, John and Beth; Douglas McQuaid, who married Joanne Siegel and have two children, Damon and Jacob; and Frank McQuaid, who has a son, Charles.

Jack McQuaid’s dedication to All Saints Parish and the Catholic Church included leading efforts to build a new Knights of Columbus hall at 126 West Main St.

“He and his buddies back in the 1950s built the Knights of Columbus – I’d have to say he was the instigator of this,” son Douglas said in an interview. “My grandfather was a fourth degree grand knight and my father was a grand knight, fourth degree.”

The Knights in Ware previously operated out of the old Mansion House – where Veterans Park now sits, adjacent to the recently demolished Casino Theater.

McQuaid was also a curator at All Saints and was directly involved with renovations and fundraising in the 1960s and 1970s under Father Thomas Delahanty related to the Old St. William's and the new St. William's cemeteries.

McQuaid was a Ware policeman and a patrolman for the Metropolitan District Commission, protecting the Quabbin Reservoir.

Joseph E. Pellissier, 78, a longtime friend., served as a policeman with McQuaid. They would later serve as selectmen. The duo became friends in the 1950s.

“He was a helluva man, an excellent police officer – every thing he did was fair and square, he was a model cop, a gentleman’s gentleman,” Pellissier said. "I will miss him a lot. Everyone whose life he touched will remember him as an excellent man.”

McQuaid served on the Board of Health from 1951 to 1958, was an Assessor’s committeeman from 1996 to 2005 and a selectman from 2000 to 2005. He was a member of the Fire Station Building Committee.